Hindu School, Kolkata

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Hindu School is one of the leading schools in Kolkata (Calcutta). It is located in College Street, in the vicinity of Hare School, College Square, Presidency College and Calcutta University.

Hindu College, the school's predecessor, was established in 1817 by Raja Rammohan Roy, David Hare (philanthropist), Radhakanta Deb and other notable educationists of that time. In 1855, the pathsala part of Hindu College became Hindu School and the other part(mahapathshala) became Presidency College, Kolkata. The date of establishment of the Hindu College, 1817, is considered the official establishment date of both Hindu school and Presidency College, Kolkata. The school is one of the oldest existing schools in Calcutta and India. Currently the school has grade 1 to 12 and the medium of instruction is Bengali.Students apeear for 10+(Madhyamik) examination under West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and 12+(Higher Secondary Examination/Uchcho Madhyamik) examination under West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education.Grade 11 and 12 have three streams,- science, arts and commerce. It is a boys-only school with an approximate strength of 1100 students.

1 Overview
2 History
3 Chronology
4 Distinguished Alumni
5 Contact Information
6 External links

[edit] Overview

Prior to the advent of the British in India, the indigenous primary schools of Bengal taught very little beyond Bangla, simple Arithmetic and Sanskrit .The tols (local small schools run by individuals) imparted lessons in advanced Sanskrit, grammar and literature, theology, logic and metaphysics. This was not enough to satisfy the aspiration of the enlightened Indians like Raja Rammohun Roy, who felt that the process would only 'load the minds of youths with grammatical niceties and metaphysical distinctions'^{[citation needed]} without having any practical use. The necessity of learning English was also keenly felt by people who had to carry on a constant interaction with the British businessmen. A few schools were set up with the purpose of providing rudimentary education in the English language to native Indians. The most prominent among them was the school (pathshala) section of Hindu College^{[citation needed]} which later got separated as an independent institute named Hindu School. Standing at the threshold of its 200-year jubilee the institute is the academic parent of more than 17000 students in totality^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] History

Early nineteenth century had witnessed an intellectual awakening in Bengal Society. The luminous ray of modern knowledge, education and thought procedure, influenced by European culture and impacted by British rule, had affected the contemporary life very materially. The various protest movements, formation of societies and associations, religious reform movements, coming of new styles in Bengali literature, political consciousness, and other emergent socio-political phenomena have been argued to be the positive symptoms of this Renaissance. Although it immediately affected a small portion of the upper stratum of Bengal Hindu society only, it eventually spread to Muslims (rather partially) and others as well as to other parts of the subcontinent before the century ended. One of the prominent outcome of this Renaissance was change in the curriculum taught in the schools and establishment of new schools imparting modern and practical education. The idea of establishing an English school was already there. David Hare’s plan of English education in India received general approbation and Dewan Baidya Nath Mukherjee was deputed to collect the subscriptions. Sir Edward Hyde East, Chief Justice of the Calcutta Supreme Court was invited to chair the committee and Joseph Baretto became the Treasurer. The committee succeeded in raising Rupees 1,13,179.00, the principal donors being the Maharajah of Burdwan (Tejchand Bahadur) and Gopee Mohun Thakur, each contributing Rupees 10,000. The Hindu College was originally divided into two sections-a school (pathshala) which imparted instruction in English, Bangla, Grammar and Arithmetic and a college (mahapathshala) teaching Languages, History, Geography, Chronology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Chemistry and other sciences. On the opening day there were 20 pupils on the rolls but within the next three months the number swelled to 69.At a later date the pathshala got separated as Hindu School. The most distinguishing feature of the institution was its determined and conscious effort to impart secular education. Although meant exclusively for respectable classes amongst the Hindus, the Indian managers ceaselessly insisted on the teaching of English literature and European sciences, rather than Hindu theology or metaphysics.

[edit] Chronology

January 20, 1817 - Hindu College is established
1855 - The pathshala part became Hindu School, and the other part(mahapathshala) became Presidency College, Kolkata.
1992 - 175th Anniversary observed